The Line of Duty
by Arlesanna
Summary: A Stella/Dani one-shot written for a prompt on Tumbrl: "Stella is called to a case in 5 years time and when the introduction/ info meeting is about to begin and in walks a late Dani who is very much a grown, mature woman now. Stella recognises the voice and realises - and acts on- feelings she wasn't aware she had for her ...?"
"Hello, Detective Chief Inspector" Stella's voice is cold, laced with sarcasm as she extends her hand to Eastwood.

"Hello, Stella" He foregoes her title on purpose, taking the whole room back in time to the Spector era. Not that this era is much better – they already have three bodies on their hands and the press is vicious.

"I'll need a couple of hours to go over the materials of the case and an able assistant at that." Stella eyes the room and her eyes stop on Detective Hass. "Is he able?"

He is handsome and young. Of course. Dany almost scoffs at that, but her face stays as impassive as ever. She has grown up over the five years she hasn't layed eyes on Stella. She works hard not to lay eyes on her now, having overcome the initial "hello's" and the desire to give Gibson a proper one-over. Not that she doesn't notice that Stella is as gorgeous as ever, even if obviously worn out from the trip.

"As able as any" Eastwood isn't as good at hiding a smirk, or maybe the difference is he intends for Stella to see it, aiming to elicit a reaction from her, luring her into one of their face-offs, but Stella ignores it and brushes past him.

"I know where the negotiation room is, Detective Hass, join me In there with materials and a coffee." She walks out of the room throwing a glance at Dany who works hard not to avert her eyes when the icy blue ones are locked with them. She works hard not to offer a small defeated smile or nod or do anything really. She knows she's a familiar face to Stella, but she also knows what being in close proximity to the woman did to her heart five years ago. She won't let it happen again.

"How do I go about her?" Hass askes when Gibson is out of the room and Eastwood chuckles:  
"Just do your job detective."

"And try not to do the Superintendent alond the way" Anderson's suave voice is laced with malice which is not surprising at all really.

"I'm sorry?" Hass turns around in his wake, but Dani cuts in, faking an annoyed dismissive eye roll expertly.

"No sugar in the coffee and be very precise. Don't let anything out even the things that don't seem important. Don't relate assumptions, just facts. Unlike detective Anderson just did."

Hass nods with relief and heads off to the kitchen.

Tom's eyes are angry as he looks up at her. His voice is cold as he says: "She doesn't even know you exist, Farrington."

"Yeah, but at least I don't feel like she used me as a bedwarmer and fucked me over while not knowing I exist." Dani knew this was crossing the line, but when Stella was involved her lines were blurry.

"Cut it off you two." Eastwood interrupts as they glare at each other venenomously. "We have a serial killer to catch, I'd rather you put your bubbling energies towards that."

"Yes, Sir" they answer unanimously and the battle is over. For now.

Dany stares into her computer pointlessly. The problem is she does feel like Stella fucked her over without knowing she existed. Even if she didn't mean to.

* * *

An hour later she is making coffee in the small kitchen when she feels a familiar presence in the room.

"The coffee here is terrible." Stella brushes past her to get herself some.

"You look tired." Dany says casually, "You should get some rest instead of spending half the night here."

Stella quirkes an eyebrow and allows her lips to fall into a lazy smile . "If you care so much about my needs, Detective Farrington, you should know the room number is 143." She adds a spoonful of sugar to her cup and for a while the sound of her spoon hitting the glass is the only audible thing in the room.

"You take your coffee with sugar now?" Dany feels Stella's glare, but doesn't look up at her, knowing that Stella will instantly decipher how angry she is. And then she will understand much more then Dany would ever intend her to. So she stares at her cup instead.

"Have been for five years." Dani hears Stella's spoon hit the counter as the woman moves out of the room. "Something was missing so I compensated."

The door shuts with a soft click and Dany lets out a breath she has been holding. "I hope the sugar did it for you." She mutters to herself.

"I wouldn't say so, no." Dani's head shots up as her shocked eyes land on Stella who is miraculously still in the room. The woman looks at her with intent and it seems she likes what she sees because when she smiles it's a smile of a predator. She leaves then.

Dani doesn't let go of the counter for a while. She knows it's a trap she is going to walk into. It's making it out alive that is the issue here, but then again, isn't it always in her line of duty?


End file.
